MORE SHIPS NEEDED.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 307, 27 December 1915, Page 6

MORE SHIPS NEEDED.

TRANSPORTS AND FREIGHTERS DEMAND OUTRUNS SUPPLY. ADMIRALTY'S POSITION. LONDON, December 26. Replying to 1 suggestions made in the House of Commons to the effect that the Government should control shipping, Mr. A. J. Hal four (First Ixird of the Admiralty) said that freights had risen simply because the demand had outrun the supply. The limitation of tonnage win.-the real cause of the dillirulty. Criticism, had been levelled at the Admiralty because it had commandeered tonnage and then failed to use it properly. At tile present time,' he continued, there was a -transport department, comprising shipowners of. the highest experience, whoso main duty it was to obtain foT the Army the necessary shipping for the conveyance of troops and supplies, with a minimum of inconvenience to the shipping trade. These transports ordered by the Army served the purpose of the Allies in (he same way tlio enormous'a'ltd intricate system of railways did the Central Powers. The British Fleet and mercantile marine h_xl to 1 bear an enormous responsibility. No doubt, _.li\ Balfour went on to say, there hail been' a'wastage in tonnage. An angel from Heaven could not hare eliminated the wastage. 11a did not reject as "unworthy of consideration the proposal that the Government should own the whole mercantile marine, but many difficult anu complicated questions arose. On the other hand, it was impossible to leave the whole mercantile fleet quite free. Mc! was sorry that the .Munitions Bill had j not passed, as it made the building of j merchant vessels by war work possible. I Fvery delay diminished the amount of tonnage available. The maintenance of freights at the present terrible level in-1 created the cost of innumerable articles i essential to the proper conduct ot the I i WaT - |